Hopes for a multi-use retail, leisure and community space in the former Co-op on Bell Street, Shaftesbury have been dashed with the announcement the building is up for auction next week.

The former supermarket, which has a floor space of 15,854 sq ft, has lain empty for more than three years. The year after it closed a community group called Project Belle worked with the town council and other interested parties to thrash out a plan for the building, which included community facilities.

However, the property remained empty and will now be auctioned on Wednesday (10th), with a guide price of £580,000-plus.

The building is next to two public car parks providing 150 pay and display car parking spaces. However, receivers failed to find a buyer despite extensive marketing. The lack of interest could be down to many things, including a hotly-anticipated new Lidl on the site of the old cattle market in Christy’s Lane. The town also has a new larger Co-op, a Tesco and various smaller grocery stores.

Lidl had hoped to be trading by now, however they were forced to submit new plans to Dorset Council last month after officers raised concerns. The old Co-op/Budgens site could have been ideal for the budget supermarket, as indicated in early meetings about the site. However, the Cattle Market site was snapped up instead.

On Wednesday, the building will instead go under the hammer with Clive Emson and Avison Young auctioneers in an online sale. The auctioneers describes the shop as “something of a landmark in the town”.

They add: “The first floor offers a range of offices, staff facilities and a stock warehouse.”

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